Author
Topic: No Gazingus Pins for 2018! (Read 15392 times)

I'm doing well. Studiously ignored the sockdreams.com clearance sale. Have not bought any more tea (though am drinking a lot of it to stay warm through this awful cold snap, which thankfully seems to be over for the moment).

Though, I realized that one of the teas I bought, I really don't like. And yesterday, the third time trying it in hopes it would suddenly mutate into something delicious, I thought, "ugh, I REALLY have to slog through 17 more cups of this crap before I can buy more?" Is it cheating to make it really weak so that I can't really taste it? I'm at least trying to alternate it with the 4 other flavors that I really like so I don't get stuck with this and nothing else.

I'm now embarrassed to admit that I have a huge soft spot for that tea! It has a very mild flavor, and took some getting used to, but now I'm sad I can't find it. The shame of an adoration of the sugar cookie tea! :-)

I'm doing well. Studiously ignored the sockdreams.com clearance sale. Have not bought any more tea (though am drinking a lot of it to stay warm through this awful cold snap, which thankfully seems to be over for the moment).

Though, I realized that one of the teas I bought, I really don't like. And yesterday, the third time trying it in hopes it would suddenly mutate into something delicious, I thought, "ugh, I REALLY have to slog through 17 more cups of this crap before I can buy more?" Is it cheating to make it really weak so that I can't really taste it? I'm at least trying to alternate it with the 4 other flavors that I really like so I don't get stuck with this and nothing else.

I'm now embarrassed to admit that I have a huge soft spot for that tea! It has a very mild flavor, and took some getting used to, but now I'm sad I can't find it. The shame of an adoration of the sugar cookie tea! :-)

I was laughing earlier because I went and dropped off an unwanted box of tea (Bigelow Orange Spice) in the communal tea area, and there was a box of Celestial Seasonings Sugar Cookie tea!

This year I have committed to the absolutely no clothing purchases challenge but the gazingus pin that I have also committed to is No More Material OR Patterns this year. I have SO MUCH fabric, intriguing patterns, drafting books, and all the component parts necessary to make anything I want. (Embarrassingly enough, I am halfway through making a pair of trousers, a dress, and a workshirt. Just finish one!)

I'm doing well. Studiously ignored the sockdreams.com clearance sale. Have not bought any more tea (though am drinking a lot of it to stay warm through this awful cold snap, which thankfully seems to be over for the moment).

Though, I realized that one of the teas I bought, I really don't like. And yesterday, the third time trying it in hopes it would suddenly mutate into something delicious, I thought, "ugh, I REALLY have to slog through 17 more cups of this crap before I can buy more?" Is it cheating to make it really weak so that I can't really taste it? I'm at least trying to alternate it with the 4 other flavors that I really like so I don't get stuck with this and nothing else.

I'm now embarrassed to admit that I have a huge soft spot for that tea! It has a very mild flavor, and took some getting used to, but now I'm sad I can't find it. The shame of an adoration of the sugar cookie tea! :-)

I was laughing earlier because I went and dropped off an unwanted box of tea (Bigelow Orange Spice) in the communal tea area, and there was a box of Celestial Seasonings Sugar Cookie tea!

When I'm trying to lose weight & am hungry in the evenings, the smell of the sugar cookie tea almost makes me feel like I'm having a treat. Who are all of these others giving away my favorite?! :-)

I need this one. No freaking books in 2018! I have at least 40 that I haven't read. If I want more I will go to the library and/or browse the free kindle downloads. To help, I have disconnected my ability to "one click" anything on Amazon.

I'm now embarrassed to admit that I have a huge soft spot for that tea! It has a very mild flavor, and took some getting used to, but now I'm sad I can't find it. The shame of an adoration of the sugar cookie tea! :-)

Is it cheating if I mail the rest of mine to you? ;)

I don't like mildly flavored tea, that must be it. I like strong teas and no matter how long I steep it it just looks pale and tastes gross.

I'm now embarrassed to admit that I have a huge soft spot for that tea! It has a very mild flavor, and took some getting used to, but now I'm sad I can't find it. The shame of an adoration of the sugar cookie tea! :-)

Is it cheating if I mail the rest of mine to you? ;)

I don't like mildly flavored tea, that must be it. I like strong teas and no matter how long I steep it it just looks pale and tastes gross.

Ah yes, I love mild flavored tea, so that makes sense! The sugar cookie is probably the most mild in my bunch.

And, my gazingus pin - not buying discounted gift cards unless I have an actual planned expense that will use them up. I sometimes get caught up in the "bargain"

So in the interest of full disclosure and accountability, here is a pic of my tea cabinet. The cabinet (left side) was supposed to be one shelf of everyday mugs, one shelf of tea, and two shelves of extra storage for things we don't use often and don't want in the main part of the kitchen. The open shelving (right side) was supposed to store cute stuff, like my sugar and creamer set or little art pieces. Now my tea takes up the entire designated tea shelf and three of the open shelves (the tea on the second-from-top cabinet shelf is my MIL's, while the stuff on the bottom open shelf is my DD's + some of the flavored stuff I offer guests). Not shown is open 45-degree shelving to the right that contains the teapots and such; even that now has a couple of canisters in it.

I do agree that available space is an issue, so my goal here is to reduce my own tea back to its original single shelf, which is more than sufficient for any reasonable human. I then want to weed the stupid cups and saucers down to a single shelf, so we can consolidate DD's and MIL's stashes into that third shelf. (Believe it or not, all those mugs and cups/saucers are what is left after a weeding-out about two years ago -- people keep giving us mugs, and I hate to toss them because I don't want to hurt feelings).

Some progress: I have already finished off one canister of very, very old tea that had been sitting there for God-knows how long.

So I was wasting time at work reading through this thread (I FIRE in 3 weeks so have a fair amount of down time at work these days!!!) and found myself thinking, "Gee, I don't really have a gazingus pin anymore. I get my books from the library or Paperbackswap, I hardly ever buy clothes if I can help it, I don't like jewelry.... I mean, the only 'stuff' I ever really buy is outdoor and fitness gear...... oh CRAP."

Friends, I do indeed have a gazingus pin. My name is DTaggart, and I have a problem buying outdoor gear. Mr. Taggart and I really enjoy hiking and camping, and we've been slowly acquiring gear to get into overnight backpacking. It's pretty ridiculous how much stuff you need to enjoy such a supposedly minimalist hobby! One of our long term post-FIRE plans is to travel around and do some long distance backpacking like the PCT and AT so I've been trying to buy high-quality, lightweight stuff that will last us for a long time, but that also means EXPENSIVE. Late last year we finally got the last pieces of "essential" gear we need to start doing some basic treks, so my goal for 2018 is to not buy any additional stuff or "upgrade" any existing items, and to focus on using and enjoying what I already have. There's a lot of little additional things that are so easy to pick up here and there - a new pair of wool socks (I have tons of good socks already!), an inflatable travel pillow (I can stuff my extra clothes into an existing stuff-sack!), a cook pot that weighs .1 oz less than my current pot (extra weight is good for training!).... Nope. I already have the things I really need.

So, this year I will not buy new outdoor or fitness stuff with the following exceptions:1. Consumable stuff that needs to be replaced (I'm thinking mainly of fuel for the stove, maybe a new cartridge for the water filter)2. My current pair of hiking shoes are in good shape, but they may wear out before the end of the year, so I will allow myself ONE pair of replacement shoes if necessary. I may also require a new pair of running shoes for road-running, which I am trying to get back into - one pair if necessary.3. If I find high quality performance clothing at the thrift shop in my CURRENT size, I can buy that. This is a pretty rare event and usually saves 90% or more so I don't want to pass up such a unicorn if I happen upon it. But I will NOT buy used gear from online resale groups, or gear from discount sites, because those deals will come around again next year if I still think I really want the item.4. If anything breaks and cannot be repaired, I am allowed to replace it.

So that's it. Mr. Taggart isn't going to like this, but if there's something he really wants he can spend is personal spending money on it.

Logged

"It's not just about me and my dream of doing nothing. It's about all of us." - Peter Gibbons, Office Space

No Gazingus energy drinks here yet!!So far it's costing me a bit more, as I realized I was out of creamer at home both yesterday and today and ended up stopping to get gas station coffee (where I would have normally just slung a can of energy drink out of my fridge, since they were ALWAYS in there).It's going ok so far. It's amazing how instinctual these things become. When I went into the gas station I went RIGHT to the energy drink cooler... and then had to redirect myself over to the little starbucks doubleshots. On my way home from work today I will buy creamer (well my version of creamer- almond milk) so I can drink the abundance of coffee I have at home, ha.

Logged

"Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future" -John F. Kennedy

@Poundwise - ahhh I understand your crafting motivations now. Sounds like the old trap of “spending money to save money”. (Example: “I made this cashmere cardigan! A real one would cost $700 so I save $600!!” But you’re out the $100 you spent on supplies. Also if you’re like any crafter I know, you have a room filled with supplies for ideas and also things that are half finished.

I'm now embarrassed to admit that I have a huge soft spot for that tea! It has a very mild flavor, and took some getting used to, but now I'm sad I can't find it. The shame of an adoration of the sugar cookie tea! :-)

Is it cheating if I mail the rest of mine to you? ;)

I don't like mildly flavored tea, that must be it. I like strong teas and no matter how long I steep it it just looks pale and tastes gross.

Ah yes, I love mild flavored tea, so that makes sense! The sugar cookie is probably the most mild in my bunch.

And, my gazingus pin - not buying discounted gift cards unless I have an actual planned expense that will use them up. I sometimes get caught up in the "bargain"

Would it not be easier to just cut out GCs completely? Or would you be forgoing major savings? This sounds like it could be one of those “spend money to *save* money” things... better to just not spend at all, no?

So in the interest of full disclosure and accountability, here is a pic of my tea cabinet. The cabinet (left side) was supposed to be one shelf of everyday mugs, one shelf of tea, and two shelves of extra storage for things we don't use often and don't want in the main part of the kitchen. The open shelving (right side) was supposed to store cute stuff, like my sugar and creamer set or little art pieces. Now my tea takes up the entire designated tea shelf and three of the open shelves (the tea on the second-from-top cabinet shelf is my MIL's, while the stuff on the bottom open shelf is my DD's + some of the flavored stuff I offer guests). Not shown is open 45-degree shelving to the right that contains the teapots and such; even that now has a couple of canisters in it.

I do agree that available space is an issue, so my goal here is to reduce my own tea back to its original single shelf, which is more than sufficient for any reasonable human. I then want to weed the stupid cups and saucers down to a single shelf, so we can consolidate DD's and MIL's stashes into that third shelf. (Believe it or not, all those mugs and cups/saucers are what is left after a weeding-out about two years ago -- people keep giving us mugs, and I hate to toss them because I don't want to hurt feelings).

Some progress: I have already finished off one canister of very, very old tea that had been sitting there for God-knows how long.

Great pic!!! I will post my own gazingus pins.

Also,“In “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” Marie Kondo says that we should never keep gifts out of guilt because the giver’s joy happens the moment the gift is given.”

Sooooo get rid of the mugs you don’t love! I give you permission

This is a pic of my jewellery I decided to bring to my temporary location. I have LOADS more and do not need anything else!!!

I also took a pic of clothes I have that I don’t like or that don’t fit. I have a clothing swap to go to in February - so I do not need to buy a thing else!

I'm now embarrassed to admit that I have a huge soft spot for that tea! It has a very mild flavor, and took some getting used to, but now I'm sad I can't find it. The shame of an adoration of the sugar cookie tea! :-)

Is it cheating if I mail the rest of mine to you? ;)

I don't like mildly flavored tea, that must be it. I like strong teas and no matter how long I steep it it just looks pale and tastes gross.

Ah yes, I love mild flavored tea, so that makes sense! The sugar cookie is probably the most mild in my bunch.

And, my gazingus pin - not buying discounted gift cards unless I have an actual planned expense that will use them up. I sometimes get caught up in the "bargain"

Would it not be easier to just cut out GCs completely? Or would you be forgoing major savings? This sounds like it could be one of those ďspend money to *save* moneyĒ things... better to just not spend at all, no?

It's a fair question. Here's an example of how I used one recently that worked well, in my mind. Knew I would be buying a flight. Explored options & price compared to find best deals. Explored all other ways to get a price discount, frequent flier miles, etc. Bought the gift card for $180/200 gift card. Immediately applied to flight. So, I'm okay with that, as I consider it just another discount. But, buying for some future "unknown - oh I may need this" is not useful.

I'm now embarrassed to admit that I have a huge soft spot for that tea! It has a very mild flavor, and took some getting used to, but now I'm sad I can't find it. The shame of an adoration of the sugar cookie tea! :-)

Is it cheating if I mail the rest of mine to you? ;)

I don't like mildly flavored tea, that must be it. I like strong teas and no matter how long I steep it it just looks pale and tastes gross.

Ah yes, I love mild flavored tea, so that makes sense! The sugar cookie is probably the most mild in my bunch.

And, my gazingus pin - not buying discounted gift cards unless I have an actual planned expense that will use them up. I sometimes get caught up in the "bargain"

Would it not be easier to just cut out GCs completely? Or would you be forgoing major savings? This sounds like it could be one of those “spend money to *save* money” things... better to just not spend at all, no?

It's a fair question. Here's an example of how I used one recently that worked well, in my mind. Knew I would be buying a flight. Explored options &amp; price compared to find best deals. Explored all other ways to get a price discount, frequent flier miles, etc. Bought the gift card for $180/200 gift card. Immediately applied to flight. So, I'm okay with that, as I consider it just another discount. But, buying for some future "unknown - oh I may need this" is not useful.

It's the 12th day of the year and already I really want to buy fabric. For nothing. I have NOTHING planned. UGH.

Good job recognizing the itch vs. scratching the itch

I also am a collector of fabrics but stopped accumulating last year and this year even downsized my stash. Do you have anything in particular you want to create with what you already own?

Oh, I have tons of things I want to make with what I already own. But no time. I have plenty of time for online shopping, but no time for actual sewing. So my hobby has been reduced to accumulating.

And I don't want to buy anymore!

Sounds like the kind of shopping I do. A bit aspirational. I covet really pretty party dresses because parties = awesome. But I am not really going to many parties! And even if I were, it’s not like I don’t already own dresses...

It's the 12th day of the year and already I really want to buy fabric. For nothing. I have NOTHING planned. UGH.

I keep my fabric in a transparent box so when I get the urge to buy more, the surplus I already have is staring me in the face.

A thought- what is underneath the urge? for me it's a combination of hope [this will be the magical easy pattern I don't need to tweak] and a reminder of the things I want to do and will have time to do in the future but don't right now. A combo of stockpiling and daydreaming in the form of physical objects.

A transparent box? Like just one?I keep mine in 9, plus a shelving unit. I have a dedicated sewing room.

And my quilting club mocks me for how little "stash" I have...

Ohh, a dedicated craft room would be amazing. My fabric is stashed in tubs around our basement, and I do my sewing on a table that's an offshoot of my computer desk. It is distracting, because my husband works from home, so whenever I try to sew, he's either working or playing video games right across the table from me.

Also, I totally failed already. Bought myself a shirt at Costco. I really like it, and it's perfect for leggings because it's grey and longish in the back and not super tight but still flattering...I should not be allowed to go shopping by myself. And I have a clothing swap in a few weeks! I didn't get invited to it until after I bought the shirt, but it probably wouldn't have made a difference. Here's hoping I get rid of more than I take it at the swap :)

A transparent box? Like just one?I keep mine in 9, plus a shelving unit. I have a dedicated sewing room.

And my quilting club mocks me for how little "stash" I have...

Ohh, a dedicated craft room would be amazing. My fabric is stashed in tubs around our basement, and I do my sewing on a table that's an offshoot of my computer desk. It is distracting, because my husband works from home, so whenever I try to sew, he's either working or playing video games right across the table from me.

Also, I totally failed already. Bought myself a shirt at Costco. I really like it, and it's perfect for leggings because it's grey and longish in the back and not super tight but still flattering...I should not be allowed to go shopping by myself. And I have a clothing swap in a few weeks! I didn't get invited to it until after I bought the shirt, but it probably wouldn't have made a difference. Here's hoping I get rid of more than I take it at the swap :)

On the bright side, I'm doing well with grocery shopping! Yay!

Will you re-set with clothing? Like starting anew or saying no more than one item per month? Or one-in, one-out?

A transparent box? Like just one?I keep mine in 9, plus a shelving unit. I have a dedicated sewing room.

And my quilting club mocks me for how little "stash" I have...

Ohh, a dedicated craft room would be amazing. My fabric is stashed in tubs around our basement, and I do my sewing on a table that's an offshoot of my computer desk. It is distracting, because my husband works from home, so whenever I try to sew, he's either working or playing video games right across the table from me.

Also, I totally failed already. Bought myself a shirt at Costco. I really like it, and it's perfect for leggings because it's grey and longish in the back and not super tight but still flattering...I should not be allowed to go shopping by myself. And I have a clothing swap in a few weeks! I didn't get invited to it until after I bought the shirt, but it probably wouldn't have made a difference. Here's hoping I get rid of more than I take it at the swap :)

On the bright side, I'm doing well with grocery shopping! Yay!

Will you re-set with clothing? Like starting anew or saying no more than one item per month? Or one-in, one-out?

I think I'll say that I'm going to aim for no more buying clothes. I can't imagine NEEDING more things unless my dresser catches on fire, which seems unlikely :) There's nothing I've been waiting to buy or longing for specifically, except for some shortish boots to wear with skinny jeans/leggings. My only ones are an impractical (but excellent) red velvet. If I find some super on sale, I might buy them, but I'm not going to go look specifically for boots. Mostly I'd end up with like 37 open tabs in Chrome and decision fatigue, and maybe also boots.

The whole time I was looking at this shirt at Costco, and carrying it around in my cart, I was thinking "Man, I really don't need this. It's going to throw off my MMM challenged AND my Frugalwoods challenge. But I really like it!" So ridiculous.

For the shirt I just bought, I will definitely go find another piece of clothing to add to my clothes swap pile. I'll hopefully find more than one, though.

ETA - I might need to buy some new bras. I've been wearing the same three cheap comfy cloth ones since our son was born, and they're getting holes in them. I'm not looking forward to going back to the structured underwire style, especially since we're going to try for another kid this year. Underwires and pregnant boobs do not get along. I'll wait until these ones are actually kaput, though, and replace rather than add.

As I continue to consume my stash, however, the hoarding urge remains firmly rooted in place and I'm constantly making a mental note to "buy more of x soon," because the supply is dwindling.

Have I given in? No. But here's my stumbling block: The teas I drink are loose-leaf varieties from Asia, which I buy from an American-based importer who seems to be the only source for some of these kinds of teas in the States. (When you google the varieties, other American tea companies may turn up, but they admittedly get their supply from him.) This is all well and good, but this importer is a one-man operation who is getting up in years and wants to retire. So. The urge to place a massive order is firmly planted in my brain.

If I liked the boxed teas at the grocery store, I could easily talk myself out of this urge to stockpile. You can count on brands such as Celestial Seasonings, Twinings, and the Republic of Tea, to be there in a year. A small business is more likely to abruptly pull up stakes and shut down its website when the owner has decided he's had enough.

I'm interested in PTF...I can't identify a single category for myself but I know I make some frivolous purchases sometimes, so hearing about people resisting their "cravings" is good for me. Also, reading through reinforced my desire to weed/use up my hair products and soap stashes. I've been working on that anyway, and not adding to them, but I've been replacing the products I like best and neglecting to put ok ones into rotation. Your stories are also reinforcing the "no clothes shopping" challenge :)

I also wanted to comment on sugar cookie tea: it wasn't my favorite, but I found it's much better with sugar(/sweetener). Imagine unsweetened sugar cookies...blech. But then, I prefer most of my fruit teas and some black teas sweetened. YMMV.

PS We have a stuffed tea cabinet, too. I relate. But I think bf is the greater contributor to that and I'm not taking in a challenge dependent on his behavior rather than mine...and in fairness he's been pushing gently to have more of the "cabinet teas" vs our typical black Ceylon.

As I continue to consume my stash, however, the hoarding urge remains firmly rooted in place and I'm constantly making a mental note to "buy more of x soon," because the supply is dwindling.

Have I given in? No. But here's my stumbling block: The teas I drink are loose-leaf varieties from Asia, which I buy from an American-based importer who seems to be the only source for some of these kinds of teas in the States. (When you google the varieties, other American tea companies may turn up, but they admittedly get their supply from him.) This is all well and good, but this importer is a one-man operation who is getting up in years and wants to retire. So. The urge to place a massive order is firmly planted in my brain.

If I liked the boxed teas at the grocery store, I could easily talk myself out of this urge to stockpile. You can count on brands such as Celestial Seasonings, Twinings, and the Republic of Tea, to be there in a year. A small business is more likely to abruptly pull up stakes and shut down its website when the owner has decided he's had enough.

I'm curious what these tea varieties are...

If larger tea shops sell them (and there is demand...), they will likely pursue another source if this particular importer goes out of business....

Haha thanks to all you tea aficionados I cleaned out my tea drawer and put all the ones I don’t like into my clothing swap pile (we swap stuff in addition to clothes). Now all my “guest” teas are ones I like, too! Imagine that ;)

I’m noticing some themes in myself and others, things that come up when we’re trying to resist:

-scarcity (“What if I run out? Better stock up”)-good deals (“I’ve never seen such a good price on XYZ! I had to get it!)-amnesia or blindness (“I didn’t realize I already had a bunch of XYZ”)

For me, I am resisting a silk top that is normally $300... it is on for $15. Whaaaaat!!! See above identified danger feelings ;)

But I keep imagining how cool and awesome I’m going to feel when at the end of the year I get to say: I didn’t buy any clothes or jewellery this year. And I also look forward to breaking the habit in my brain. Stopping shopping is going to be key to my success.

I’ve been working on my stylebook app. You add pics of clothes you own and input detail like how much it cost and how many times you’ve worn it. The smart closet app does the same thing (but that app is free). Let me just say it is a VERY effective way to stop buying clothing because you see what you’ve got AND how much you paid for all of it! Yikes.

As I continue to consume my stash, however, the hoarding urge remains firmly rooted in place and I'm constantly making a mental note to "buy more of x soon," because the supply is dwindling.

Have I given in? No. But here's my stumbling block: The teas I drink are loose-leaf varieties from Asia, which I buy from an American-based importer who seems to be the only source for some of these kinds of teas in the States. (When you google the varieties, other American tea companies may turn up, but they admittedly get their supply from him.) This is all well and good, but this importer is a one-man operation who is getting up in years and wants to retire. So. The urge to place a massive order is firmly planted in my brain.

If I liked the boxed teas at the grocery store, I could easily talk myself out of this urge to stockpile. You can count on brands such as Celestial Seasonings, Twinings, and the Republic of Tea, to be there in a year. A small business is more likely to abruptly pull up stakes and shut down its website when the owner has decided he's had enough.

I'm curious what these tea varieties are...

If larger tea shops sell them (and there is demand...), they will likely pursue another source if this particular importer goes out of business....

It's called puerh tea, and there are literally thousands of different types. Each one tastes a bit different. As with wine, you can age them which is supposed to improve the flavor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pu%27er_tea

Most loose leaf tea retailers offer some puerhs, but a lot of it is mediocre quality. There isn't a lot of demand for it in the U.S. due to its distinctive (acquired?) taste and the finicky brewing involved. Most of the good stuff tends to stay in Asian countries.

Drinking and collecting puerhs can be an "expensive" hobby, but only in terms of up front costs. Buying a 400g cake of tea may set you back $60-80, but you tend to use only 5g per sitting. Unlike tea bags, good quality tea leaves can be re-steeped multiple times, so you end up spending less than $1 per serving on a type of tea that some consider the best in the world. It's actually a mustachian beverage :) But it's easy to go crazy with collecting...

As I continue to consume my stash, however, the hoarding urge remains firmly rooted in place and I'm constantly making a mental note to "buy more of x soon," because the supply is dwindling.

Have I given in? No. But here's my stumbling block: The teas I drink are loose-leaf varieties from Asia, which I buy from an American-based importer who seems to be the only source for some of these kinds of teas in the States. (When you google the varieties, other American tea companies may turn up, but they admittedly get their supply from him.) This is all well and good, but this importer is a one-man operation who is getting up in years and wants to retire. So. The urge to place a massive order is firmly planted in my brain.

If I liked the boxed teas at the grocery store, I could easily talk myself out of this urge to stockpile. You can count on brands such as Celestial Seasonings, Twinings, and the Republic of Tea, to be there in a year. A small business is more likely to abruptly pull up stakes and shut down its website when the owner has decided he's had enough.

I'm curious what these tea varieties are...

If larger tea shops sell them (and there is demand...), they will likely pursue another source if this particular importer goes out of business....

It's called puerh tea, and there are literally thousands of different types. Each one tastes a bit different. As with wine, you can age them which is supposed to improve the flavor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pu%27er_tea

Most loose leaf tea retailers offer some puerhs, but a lot of it is mediocre quality. There isn't a lot of demand for it in the U.S. due to its distinctive (acquired?) taste and the finicky brewing involved. Most of the good stuff tends to stay in Asian countries.

Drinking and collecting puerhs can be an "expensive" hobby, but only in terms of up front costs. Buying a 400g cake of tea may set you back $60-80, but you tend to use only 5g per sitting. Unlike tea bags, good quality tea leaves can be re-steeped multiple times, so you end up spending less than $1 per serving on a type of tea that some consider the best in the world. It's actually a mustachian beverage :) But it's easy to go crazy with collecting...

My bf likes puerh, among others! So I am familiar with the "tea that is swampy...in a good way". Not my jam, but I suspect there are enough of you puerh drinkers out there to justify filling a market vacancy. Don't stock up!

My bf likes puerh, among others! So I am familiar with the "tea that is swampy...in a good way". Not my jam, but I suspect there are enough of you puerh drinkers out there to justify filling a market vacancy. Don't stock up!

It's not only swampy, but peaty and earthy, as well as fruity and floral if you taste a nice green puerh :) (I'm making myself thirsty...)

My bf likes puerh, among others! So I am familiar with the "tea that is swampy...in a good way". Not my jam, but I suspect there are enough of you puerh drinkers out there to justify filling a market vacancy. Don't stock up!

It's not only swampy, but peaty and earthy, as well as fruity and floral if you taste a nice green puerh :) (I'm making myself thirsty...)

Does it expire? Could you stretch out your remaining supply? Things are more luxurious and savoured when not enjoyed regularly :)

I'd like to join this challenge. I didn't think I had a Gazingus pin until I uh opened my purse and 5 lipsticks fell out. Combined with the few in the car. And the ones in my minimalist makeup bag. And the three of the same color still in packaging that I bought on eBay that are stored in my drawer in my bathroom because they were discontinued and I might never be able to find as good a color. Yeah. I should be all set for 2018

My bf likes puerh, among others! So I am familiar with the "tea that is swampy...in a good way". Not my jam, but I suspect there are enough of you puerh drinkers out there to justify filling a market vacancy. Don't stock up!

It's not only swampy, but peaty and earthy, as well as fruity and floral if you taste a nice green puerh :) (I'm making myself thirsty...)

Does it expire? Could you stretch out your remaining supply? Things are more luxurious and savoured when not enjoyed regularly :)

Good point :) It actually doesn't expire! This tea is actually meant to be aged and enjoyed along the way as its flavor evolves. What tempts me is not just the potential scarcity of what I have found and enjoy but also the sheer variety of unexplored teas.

But I do have other types of teas to drink...and these should be prioritized for consumption, as they do lose their flavor over time! I'm going to brew a nice green tea for my work thermos this week :)

I'd like to join this challenge. I didn't think I had a Gazingus pin until I uh opened my purse and 5 lipsticks fell out. Combined with the few in the car. And the ones in my minimalist makeup bag. And the three of the same color still in packaging that I bought on eBay that are stored in my drawer in my bathroom because they were discontinued and I might never be able to find as good a color. Yeah. I should be all set for 2018

My bf likes puerh, among others! So I am familiar with the "tea that is swampy...in a good way". Not my jam, but I suspect there are enough of you puerh drinkers out there to justify filling a market vacancy. Don't stock up!

It's not only swampy, but peaty and earthy, as well as fruity and floral if you taste a nice green puerh :) (I'm making myself thirsty...)

Does it expire? Could you stretch out your remaining supply? Things are more luxurious and savoured when not enjoyed regularly :)

Good point :) It actually doesn't expire! This tea is actually meant to be aged and enjoyed along the way as its flavor evolves. What tempts me is not just the potential scarcity of what I have found and enjoy but also the sheer variety of unexplored teas.

But I do have other types of teas to drink...and these should be prioritized for consumption, as they do lose their flavor over time! I'm going to brew a nice green tea for my work thermos this week :)

Iím noticing some themes in myself and others, things that come up when weíre trying to resist:

-scarcity (ďWhat if I run out? Better stock upĒ)-good deals (ďIíve never seen such a good price on XYZ! I had to get it!)-amnesia or blindness (ďI didnít realize I already had a bunch of XYZĒ)

Mine is a funky version of scarcity. I hate shopping (my most reliable tea source was in the mall), and I hate wasting money on things I donít like (so not excited about buying something online I havenít tasted). So when I see something I like, think, ďgee, better stock up so I donít have to deal with this hell again for a long timeĒ - so Iíd go to the mall and walk out with over a hundred bucks worth of tea.

But then once I have it, I donít ever want to use it up, because that means I will be out. I have a ton of little special packets I bought off the internet (like the kinds that bloom into a flower), and I never want to use them, because then they will be gone!* And worse: now the mall place is out of business, and I cannot find their particular version of my favorite tea anywhere. So I am now down to a few potsí worth, and I am hoarding that remaining stash ó I donít want to use it because then itíll be gone forever!

*Because, you know, itís not like I could ever buy more. . . . Yes, I realize it is completely illogical.

I also wanted to comment on sugar cookie tea: it wasn't my favorite, but I found it's much better with sugar(/sweetener). Imagine unsweetened sugar cookies...blech. But then, I prefer most of my fruit teas and some black teas sweetened. YMMV.

I have the flu. At the rate I'm going through tea right now, I should be through my stash way faster than I'd anticipated.

I have a scarcity mentality too sometimes with my shopping. For example - I love Halloween and will use Halloween-themed bath/body products, wear Halloween-themed socks, use Halloween-themed housewares all year 'round. But you can only buy them in the fall - so as soon as I see, for example, that my favorite handmade bath/body seller has released her Halloween products, I'll buy up a bunch of them, to get me through to next year. So, that's usually a big outlay of money all at once...... but then I don't buy more during the year, because I literally can't, so maybe it is a wash? Dunno.

How's everyone doing?I'm still at ZERO energy drinks so far! I did buy some carbonated water, although I hate the expense... I think I like carbonation for my general stomach upset, so I figured I'd use those for a while and then wean them back if I can.

I did get AGGRESSIVE when my roommate "borrowed" a cup of coffee from my pitcher of cold brew in the fridge. There was still plenty left in the pitcher, so I had to reel myself back into "reasonable land" and just tell him it was fine. UGH. MY CAFFEINE.

Logged

"Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future" -John F. Kennedy

Iím noticing some themes in myself and others, things that come up when weíre trying to resist:

-scarcity (ďWhat if I run out? Better stock upĒ)-good deals (ďIíve never seen such a good price on XYZ! I had to get it!)-amnesia or blindness (ďI didnít realize I already had a bunch of XYZĒ)

Mine is a funky version of scarcity. I hate shopping (my most reliable tea source was in the mall), and I hate wasting money on things I donít like (so not excited about buying something online I havenít tasted). So when I see something I like, think, ďgee, better stock up so I donít have to deal with this hell again for a long timeĒ - so Iíd go to the mall and walk out with over a hundred bucks worth of tea.

But then once I have it, I donít ever want to use it up, because that means I will be out. I have a ton of little special packets I bought off the internet (like the kinds that bloom into a flower), and I never want to use them, because then they will be gone!* And worse: now the mall place is out of business, and I cannot find their particular version of my favorite tea anywhere. So I am now down to a few potsí worth, and I am hoarding that remaining stash ó I donít want to use it because then itíll be gone forever!

*Because, you know, itís not like I could ever buy more. . . . Yes, I realize it is completely illogical.

Laura33, I could suggest an alternative source for those blooming teas, but don't want to compromise your efforts to hold back on tea buying! :)